Double Fine offers new look at Psychonauts 2 gameplay

Double Fine founder Tim Shafer also confirms investment from Starbreeze Publishing.

Double Fine Productions has given fans a new look at the sequel to its cult classic puzzle platformer Psychonauts, in a behind the scenes update on the crowdfunded game's ongoing development.

In the video, Double Fine founder and video game legend Tim Schafer sits down with project lead Zak McClendon to talk viewers through some artwork from the production and a look at prototype gameplay.

The original 2003 game introduces the concept of Psychonauts, government agents with psychic-powers. As Raz, the game's lead, players enter the Psychonaut training programme, located at a woodland summer camp.

This new footage from the sequel takes place in a similar woodland area which, as McClendon explains, is a recreation of a familiar area from the original but built in the game's new engine, allowing them to test art assets and new engine features.

As a testing area, it will not feature in the final game, but McClendon does reveal that in that final game players will visit a similar area that houses the Psychonauts HQ.

Even shot off-screen, the design direction of the new game looks to be in-keeping with the original while also appearing modern and gorgeous. As Shafer points out, the environment looks reminiscent of the original game, or "summer camp-y" as he puts it.

"One of the things we talked about that people really remembered about Psychonauts is that sort of open, child-like exploration of a natural environment," McClendon explains, before teasing what to expect.

"When we talked about how much base we wanted in the game and how much interior, kinda of office-y space, we decided pretty quickly we wanted to balance it out with a more natural environment."

He then reveals that the Psychonauts base will be a "cool sixties spy office environment" but also plenty of outdoor locations, including the HQs surrounding woodland and an abandoned mine.

Another video focuses on lead level designer Ryan Mattson, who offers further details relating to the prototype area mentioned above with particular focus on level design (as you'd expect) and the flow of platforming in the area.

Psychonauts 2 is a game nobody expected would ever happen, but thanks to a crowdfunding campaign carried out on Fig which raised $3.8m, exceeding its $3.3m goal.

As Shafer announces at the start of the video, the project will published be Starbreeze Publishing, which will invest $8m to aid development.

"Starbreeze is the perfect partner for Double Fine and our backers on Psychonauts 2," Shafer said in a statement. "Their expertise in not just developing and publishing games, but supporting them after launch will be a great benefit for players of the game."

Psychonauts 2 is currently targeting a 2018 release on PS4, Xbox One and PC. In the meantime, PlayStation VR game Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin, will bridge the gap between the original game and its sequel. That launches on 21 February.